U-46 school news
Here is what's in the news for the week at Elgin Area School District U-46 schools. To learn more, visit the Web site at www.u-46.org.
Last day of school
June 2 is the last day of student attendance for kindergarten, Central School programs, and Exceptional Needs programs at Creekside, Liberty, Lords Park, Prairieview, and Wayne elementary schools, Canton Middle School, as well as High School Exceptional Needs classes.
On June 3, the schedule for all other students will begin at the regular time and run for one hour. For all special education programs not mentioned above, buses will run and special education students are expected to attend.
In other news
• On May 24, almost 2,500 students graduated from the five U-46 high schools. South Elgin High School principal Jean Bowen graduated with the first class of District U-46's newest high school. After opening the school three years ago, she will retire after seeing off the first graduating class of 372 students. Assistant principal Melanie Meidel will step into the principal role July 1. The class of 2008 valedictorian was Caitlin Hruska and salutatorian was Ryan Kellner.
Streamwood High School graduated approximately 475, with Abir Ahmed as valedictorian and Hue Le as salutatorian.
Elgin High School graduated approximately 490, with Michelle Drymiller as valedictorian and Karen Kreb as salutatorian.
Larkin High School graduated approximately 475 with co-valedictorians John Rot and Stephanie Wahl, and salutatorian Samantha Young.
Bartlett High School graduated approximately 690 with valedictorian Veronica Policht and salutatorian Samantha McCue.
Congratulations to all of our graduates and their families.
• The Harriet Gifford Elementary School Student Council was awarded a 2007-08 Student Council Excellence Award by the National Association of Elementary School Principals for its outstanding community involvement and projects that made a difference within the school and the Elgin community. Harriet Gifford was the only student council from Illinois to receive this national honor.
Community projects included a canned food drive for the Community Crisis Center and raising funds for a volunteer recognition dinner through a plant sale. They also participated in the Community of Readers book drive sponsored by First Community Bank. Students brought gently used books to the school that were then distributed to families without reading material.
They have also been involved at the school where they coordinated two school spirit weeks and made posters for four major events this year. Teachers Heidi Soderberg and Maureen Kane were in charge of the student council projects.
• To help conserve energy and dollars, the district will be conducting U-46's third annual summer shut-down of all buildings that will not be in use this summer. The success of last year's summer shut-down was enormous. The district reduced electric consumption by 510,454 kilowatt hours. To put this in perspective, that is the equivalent of reducing 1,220,496 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions; saving 923 barrels of oil; powering 52.6 homes for one year or saving 2.8 acres of forest. In addition there was a direct savings of over $170,000 in electricity alone.
Parking Lot at Educational Services Center Work
Beginning June 4, 2008 renovation work will begin on the parking lot at the Educational Services Center at 355 E. Chicago St. No parking will be available in the lot from the start date through the end of July. Also, as part of the project, parking will be restricted along the north side of DuPage Street and the east side of Chapel Street due to the improvements that will be made along both streets to allow for additional future parking. The street parking modification should only span through June.
Arrangements have been made with the City of Elgin to use the Fulton Street parking garage for the duration of the project.